


Giant Balls of Gas

by bubbablue



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Insecurity, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Pepper Potts Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Peter Parker Calls Tony Stark "Dad", Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker is Tony Stark's Biological Child, That movie does not exist, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, and he gets one, mama bear pepper
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:47:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27959393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bubbablue/pseuds/bubbablue
Summary: After the dust settles from the final battle against Thanos, Peter begins to contemplate his place in his family.Tony, nor Pepper, are willing to let their star fade from their lives again.
Relationships: Peter Parker & Pepper Potts, Peter Parker & Pepper Potts & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 6
Kudos: 276
Collections: Irondad Fic Exchange 2020





	Giant Balls of Gas

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cold_nights_summer_days](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cold_nights_summer_days/gifts).



> Aaaaand we're here!
> 
> Here's my pic for the Irondad Fit Exchange, for cold_nights_summer_days! I really hope you enjoy it, and I'm so sorry if it isn't great. School absolutely kicked me in the butt these past few weeks, and me and my short attention span just had a lot of trouble balancing everything.

_“Yours is the light by which my spirit's born: - you are my sun, my moon, and all my stars.” - E.E Cummings_

It was dark, a dim light casted by the stars in the sky. 

Peter spent a lot of time looking at them, from the time he’d finally returned to the lake house. Even though the battle was fought, even though they’d won, the boy had to watch his father be wheeled away while everyone did their best to bring him back. Those tiny, bright balls of gas in the sky became his sanctum during that uncertain time, the very place he’d come back to each night. 

However, the stars were dimmer tonight.

Peter sat out by the lake, his heart hammering in his chest as hot tears ran down his face. A blue and red duffel bag sits next to him, containing his school backpack, clothes, and suit. Not only that, but it held the pain that the 16 year old had felt for so long. 

He never really expected it to end this way. Yes, he’d always had his fears that Dad would leave him just like the mom he never got to know, but the man would always be around to quiet those thoughts — to shoo them away like flies.

_I’m not going anywhere, baby. I’m staying right here, with you._

But now, he isn’t.

Anthony Stark married one Pepper Potts, now Pepper Stark.

During those 5 years without him.

Peter missed his dad’s marriage, and didn’t meet his baby sister.

Oh yeah, he had one of those now.

Not that he ‘hated’ her, though. It was quite the contrary, actually. The moment Peter met Morgan, his heart became overwhelmed with love for the toddler. She was so much like both of her parents that it was impossible not to look at her and be able to tell ‘Yeah, that’s Tony Stark’s daughter’. 

That was also the problem, however.

No matter how many times he’d tried to reassure himself that he still belonged, Peter couldn’t believe it. He’d been gone for _5 years_ , and his dad had basically moved on without him. He started his family and finally settled down, just like he wanted to. He couldn’t blame him for that, right? Dad needed to move on from him so he could finally enjoy life. 

This was the real reason that Peter couldn’t stay. During the months prior, he’d avoid family time as much as he could. The many attempts to get the boy down for Lab Time were fruitless, no matter how much he actually wanted to participate. It must’ve been pity, Peter thought. Pepper even tried her share at it, beckoning him to come with her and Morgan on little trips; to the park, to the mall, even just to the grocery store. Almost every offer was denied. He didn’t want the oncoming pain from when he left to be too bad, whether for himself or the Starks. 

So that was where he found himself now, trying to talk himself up to continue on.

 _They don’t need you, Peter._ Peter thought. _They found another one._

_This way, they won’t have to take care of you or worry about you._

_You’ll be out of the way._

“Peter?”

His saddened thoughts were interrupted by the distant baritone coming from back by the lakehouse.

“Peter? Where are you, Roo?” It calls again, sounding on the brink of worry. Peter tries to fix his gaze back on the lake, hoping his labored breathing wouldn’t be picked up and he wouldn’t be spotted. It seems like it was, because he can hear the sound of footsteps coming from behind him. “Buddy?” Guess it’s time to face the music, then. Peter wipes his face and sniffles, before turning to the side to look sheepishly up at his father.

“There’s my Bambino,” He says tenderly, making Peter almost want to sob, “What are you doing out here? It’s almost midnight.”

There’s many things the boy could do in this situation. Does he play like he’s still happy, still the bubbly kid they’ve known him to be? Or does he tell the truth, and admit how he’s not felt at home since he’s been brought back?  
Naturally, he opts for the former.

“I-I’m okay,” He says softly, “Ju-just thinking.”

“Only thinking?” The man asks, bending to seat himself by his son. “If you’re thinking, what’s up with the big sack you brought with you?” 

_Caught._

“It’s..” _Quick, Pete, just come up with a lie!_ “It’s..”

“Listen, Peter,” Tony starts, snaking his flesh arm around the teen’s shoulders, “You’ve been closed off the past 2 months. Morg misses playing with you, Pepper misses you, _I_ miss you… you know you can tell me anything, right? I just want to help you fix this, buddy. Please let me help.” Peter broke at the words, immediately beginning to curl into himself. His stomach hurt as it tightened due to the sobs bursting from his chest, red hot tears pouring down his face and leaving a smoke trail behind them. He could hear the way his father’s heart speeds up, immediately himself being brought into a tight hug.

“Shh, you’re okay, baby,” He mutters, rocking him back and forth, “Dad’s here.” That only makes him sob harder, clutching the back of the mechanic’s tee shirt while burying his face into his chest. He doesn’t want to leave. He wants to stay right there, burrowed in the arms of the only home he’d known, and yet he doesn’t think it’s his.

Eventually, Peter begins to calm down. He keeps his cheek rested against his father’s chest, trying to soak up as much comfort as possible. “I-I’m sorry…” 

“Nuh-uh. Don’t apologize.” Dad responds, running a hand through his hair. The teenager sniffles. “You’re making me a little nervous, Bubba… can you tell me what’s wrong, please?”

“I just… thought it was time to go..”

“Go where?”  
“Maybe one of the shelters, I don’t know…” He heard the mechanic’s heart stop for a moment.

“Pete…”

“I know that I’m a burden,” He starts, “Yo-you have everything you wanted and then _here I come_ … I just want to get out of your and Pepper’s way so you don’t need to worry about me.” He expects his father to be angry, to yell at him or worse; _agree_ , but he doesn’t. He wraps his arms tighter around him instead, cradling the teen’s head to his heart. 

“Peter…” 

“I don’t want to pull you away from your family.” He finishes. 

“Pete, look at me.” Peter slowly raises his gaze to look at his father, who somehow looks older. His frown is deeper than the ocean itself, the bags under his eyes crinkling with concern as he peers down at the child. He looks like he’s been stabbed by Peter’s words, like his heart has been torn to shreds and then stamped on violently.

“It’s been hard… readjusting, I understand.” He starts, voice thick with emotion, “I mean, you get back after what probably felt like seconds and now you have a little sister and a step-mom.” He chuckles sadly. “I’d never have wanted to make you feel like you didn’t belong anymore, Pete.”

“You didn’t,” Peter shakes his head, “I just felt like I didn’t, you know? I mean- Morgan’s so like you, a-and Pepper… You three are like a whole family, and I-”

“This family _isn’t whole_ without _you!_ ” Tony interrupts, his voice shaking. The boy flinches back, his doe eyes wide as the weight of his father’s words runs over him. The man looks away, swiping an offending tear from his face. “It’s not.”

Peter doesn’t know what to say to that, only allowing himself to lie in the mechanic’s arms; to be held the way he’s wanted to let himself be since he came out of the stone. The hold is all encompassing — tight and firm as if he’d been locked into place. He can hear the frantic _thump-thump_ of Dad’s heart under his ear. He looks out into the night sky, dotted with white specks all over.

“It’s been a while since we’ve gone stargazing, hasn’t it?” The man asks, thumb and finger drawing shapes in the teenager’s back. Aside from tinkering in the lab, that used to be their favorite activity. Back when they lived in Malibu, Tony would bring them both to the beach just to look up at the stars, lulling his child to sleep as he rambled on about each constellation. It was the way the father had coped over the course of his life, like the small specks in that great black sky held everything he ever cared about. So, he shared that small bit of quiet he enjoyed with his child. 

“Yeah,” Peter hums, eyes scanning the horizon, “It has.”

“Which constellations are out tonight?” Peter’s sure he already knows, but he goes along with it. It was like the past 5 years didn’t happen, like it was just them again. The boy scans the sky he can see while still being pressed to his father’s chest. 

“Uh, I can see Leo…” He begins, “Then the dragon-looking one, and then your favorites; Ursa Major and Minor.” 

“Good.” Dad says, his voice soft. “Did I ever tell you why those were my favorites?” 

“I don’t think so,” Peter responds, looking up toward the mechanic. He smiles down at him. 

“Well, I’m pretty sure you remember the story, but I’ll tell it again.” He starts, securing his hold around the 16 year old before resuming. “Zeus was _not_ the most faithful of men — which is funny considering that he’s a god.” He jokes, drawing a small laugh out of the boy. “Well, he ended up having a baby with a nymph, and his wife was not happy about it. And who would, right? Anyway, she makes this plot to get rid of her _and_ the baby. Zeus is real worried, right, because ‘Oh no, my kid and lover!’.” He pitches his voice up, bringing another laugh out of his son. “So his solution; to ‘yeet’ them into the sky as bears. Thus, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.”

Peter can’t help but giggle throughout the story. “I can’t believe you said ‘yeet’ unironically, Dad.” 

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. I didn’t get to tell you _why_ they’re my favorites, because I don’t think I really knew until… you know.” Peter nods. He knew. “But the reason I really liked the story was that… well… they remind me of us, Petey.”

Peter’s eyes widen for a moment, eyebrows knitting together as he mulls it over. Then it hits.

“I think that if there _really_ are alternate universes, we were always meant to be each other's,” His chest rumbles under Peter’s ears. “That you were always meant to be my baby and me your dad. Pete, my whole _world_ changed when you were brought to me. I put every part of life aside because you became the most important thing to me. Iron Man? I became that because of you. Because I wanted to be able to protect you. Every single thing I did had you in mind, including time travel.” He says. That shocked the boy. 

“Wait, you can’t be serious, Dad-”

“I lost _my world_ the day The Decimation happened. I spent months after getting back to earth trying to figure out a way to reverse what the stones did because I wanted you— no, I _needed_ you back. You can ask Pep, I was a mess.”

“Ask me what, exactly?” Another voice that Peter immediately recognizes sounds from near them. 

“Pepper? Where’s Morgan?” Peter asks, sitting up slightly as he looks up to her. She sits down at his other side. 

“She’s knocked out. You both were taking such a long time, that I thought I’d just come out and see if you were okay myself.” She says. “Why’s there a bag packed?” Peter hangs his head.

“He thought that we’d be better off without him,” Dad answers for him, his heart sounding broken, “Wanted to leave us as a family.” Pepper frowns, wrapping an arm around Peter so he’s now sandwiched in between both of their holds. _Mom and Dad._ She rests her head against his shoulder.

“Oh, Pete… this family isn’t complete without you. Trust me, I felt almost the same way as your dad when it happened. It was like I lost my kid, too.” Tears brim at the base of his eyes again.

“I-It was?” He asks, his voice shaking with the emotions that were just beginning to pour from him.

“Peter, I _always_ loved you like that.” She says, and somehow it needs no explanation. Her voice is firm but soft, communicating everything she could say more than what she ever could in words. “When I found out you’d gotten taken, I almost shut down too. Nothing can prepare someone for that, much less a parent. When we had Morgan, it still was like a piece of our puzzle was missing. A piece of our…”

“Constellation.” Tony interrupts, his voice also thick and heavy. “You’re a star in our constellation, kiddo. I’m-” He can hear his father hold back a sob, “I’m _so_ happy you’re home and in our arms again.” That’s all that it takes for Peter to break, his sobs echoing in the night. Both parents— _His_ parents — encircle him, Peter resting with his face buried into his father’s chest and his mother gently rubbing circles into his back. He couldn’t hear or see it, but they shed tears as well; silently vowing they’d make sure he’d never feel alone again.

And Peter? He was just glad to be apart of his constellation again.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed it! Feel free to check out my other fic, or say hey on tumblr (@bluepudge) :D


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